Baylor's Christian heritage and identity shape and direct the University's entire mission. Assumptions grounded in faith will make our academic programs both distinctive and excellent, bring greater visibility to the University, and provide a framework for integrating our academic programs, our scholarship and learning, and our community relationships.

The number of national universities that take their religious identity seriously is small, and Baylor is one of a smaller group representing the free church tradition of Christianity. Among these, Baylor already stands out for its achievements, academic and religious. And judged by objective academic standards, Baylor continues to move forward with distinction.

Baylor's Christian identity has given shape and direction to the University's entire educational mission - undergraduate, professional, and graduate. Our heritage, foundational assumptions, and core convictions establish the grounds for a framework of unifying themes that will make our academic programs distinctive and bring greater visibility to Baylor.